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Welcome to the blog of The Killer Nacho, known to most mortals as Timothy J. Sharpe, a Computer Science graduate of Messiah College and currently a Systems Analyst for Sunoco Logistics. Within this tome of pages, one will find my innermost thoughts about various things concerning things that I enjoy. These subjects include, but are not limited to, roleplaying, gaming, American Football (the NFL), things to do with computers, philosophy, movies that are awesome, TV shows that are awesome, my own writings and creative works, and dangerous Mexican snacks.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

NFL Week 17 2011 Power Rankings & Predictions

One week to go until playoffs! Of course, we already know the majority of teams that are going to be in it. With the exception of the AFC West, NFC East, and the AFC 6th seed, playoff teams are set. Week 17 will be all about playoff position! Which teams will get homefield advantage? A first round bye? Who will be playing who? All will be determined by this final week in the National Football League!

1. Green Bay Packers (14-1, +0): Green Bay clinched homefield advantage in the playoffs in Sunday night's matchup vs the Bears, but the key defensive problems they had were still present. Chicago's offense, which featured a starting Quarterback who was unemployed just three weeks ago, and has struggled in almost every game this season, seemed to move the ball effortlessly against Green Bay. This is not the defense of a champion. Still, when your Quarterback throws for a career-high 5 touchdown passes, you will likely win that football game. Green Bay will likely rest their starters against Detroit in Week 17 (a wise precaution since they can't afford any additional injuries).

2. New Orleans Saints (12-3, +0): Congratulations to Drew Brees for snapping Dan Marino's season yardage record on Monday night against the Falcons. While this was one of his worst games of the season, throwing two picks, he still played well enough to crush the Falcons 45-16. The Saints remain a top team moving forward, and one of the largest obstacles for a Packers repeat Super Bowl win. Finally we saw the Saints play good defense, they have struggled forcing turnovers all season.

3. New England Patriots (12-3, +0): Tom Brady struggled early against the Dolphins defense, but finally found some rhythm in the 2nd half (or as it a Dolphins collapse?), overcoming a 17-0 halftime score to clobber the Dolphins 27-24. While part of it may have been due to Dolphin injuries (Vontae Davis went down to injury, as did Reggie Bush), the Patriots rally was impressive enough to keep their #3 spot. With a win against the Bills, they will clinch homefield advantage through the AFC playoffs.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4, +1): The Steeler defense is getting hot at the right time. Then again, it could be just because they were playing the Rams. Either way, I don't know if anyone could've expected a 27-0 victory without star Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. I don't know if he'll play in Week 17 ... if he's not healthy, he shouldn't since they will certainly need him come playoff time, but if defense wins championships, Pittsburgh should be in good shape to make a run at the title.

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-3, -1): The 49ers had a bit of a scare in this potential trap game against the Seahawks, allowing a late rushing touchdown by Marshawn Lynch (the first the 49ers have allowed all season). However, they were ultimately able to rally and defeat the Seahawks 19-17, keeping their hopes of a first-round bye alive. They face only one more "challenge" in their quest ... the lowly Rams. They should be able to easily clinch a first-round bye here but if not... the Saints could easily steal that from them.

6. Baltimore Ravens (11-4, +0): Baltimore controls its own destiny to win the AFC North, but they face a tough matchup at Cincinnati in Week 17 to do it. The Bengals will be at home playing for their playoff lives (the Bengals need a win to clinch a wildcard spot), and the Ravens tend to struggle away from their home stadium this season. The Ravens need this win, however, they cannot afford to lose here. As I mentioned, the Ravens do much better at home... a playoff home-game and a first round bye would help this team tremendously in a championship run.

7. Detroit Lions (10-5, +1): In a game which both teams were playing for their playoff survival, Detroit took the initiative over San Diego by destroying them 38-10. This is a young team brimming with talent, it actually reminds me a lot of their "big brother", Green Bay... strong passing game with a ball-hawking defense. With the Packers likely resting their starters in Week 17, they have a good opportunity to get a pretty easy W and clinch the #5 seed. This is critical since the #5 seed gets to play the Giants or Cowboys... a much better scenario then being the #6 seed and having to travel to New Orleans to play the Saints!

8. Atlanta Falcons (9-6, -1): It's hard to win at New Orleans, but that does not excuse a win that would've helped Atlanta tremendously. With the Lions playing the Packers backups next week (and the 49ers getting the Rams), they will likely have to play New Orleans again during the wildcard round of the playoffs. As we saw here, Atlanta's chances are not very good on the road against New Orleans.

9. Dallas Cowboys (8-7, +0): I'm not really going to hold their loss to Philadelphia against them. This was a meaningless game for the Cowboys, as a win or a loss still means they have to beat the Giants in Week 17 to secure the NFC East. They rested their banged-up starters in this game. The defense played fairly well against Philadelphia, which is a good sign. The NFC East championship comes down to Week 17.

10. New York Giants (8-7, +2): The Giants got their much-needed win against the other New York team in Week 16. If they had not won, the Cowboys could've clinched the NFC East. They were able to sustain their control of their own destiny, and it now comes down to an epic Week 17 showdown between the Cowboys and the Giants. Which team wants a chance at a championship more? All I can say is we saw some good things in the 4th quarter from this Giants team. But they need to bring it together to be a complete team.

11. Houston Texans (10-5, -1): And so, the Houston Texans are STILL winless at Indianapolis. I feel bad for the Texans... this year was their perfect opportunity with Peyton Manning being absent, Chris Johnson struggling and they were a very good team before the injury bug crept in. Matt Schaub (and his backup, Matt Leinart), Andre Johnson, Mario Williams and more... these injuries hurt the Texans too much... The good news is that Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will be back after his surgery. If they want to really compete in the playoffs, they will NEED good defensive play.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (9-6, +1): The Bengals survived the 4th quarter surge of the Cardinals to win on Sunday. Their defense was brutal, sacking John Skelton 5 times, and picking him off thrice while allowing no running room for Beanie Wells. This is the kind of the defensive play that will allow them to complete in the playoffs... if they get there. The Ravens also have a lot of reason to want to win in Week 17. And losing opens the doors to Oakland, New York Jets, and Tennessee - all of which can take their playoff spot if the Bengals fall to the Ravens here.

13. Denver Broncos (8-7, -2): What's the excuse, Tebow fans? He can't play in cold weather? The game got out of hand for the Broncos in the second half, and Tebow's usually good 4th quarters backfired here, as he threw two pick sixes in a row in the 4th quarter to all but clinch the win for the Bills. They can still clinch the AFC West with a win against the Chiefs, however. With the Chargers and Chiefs losing in Week 16, the only team that could take the Broncos' playoff spot with a win is the Oakland Raiders. I think Tebow will actually be able to bounce back a Week 17 matchup against the guy who started off the season as Broncos starting Quarterback, Kyle Orton.

14. Seattle Seahawks (7-8, +3): Honestly, I don't know of a single team that really deserves being #14. I ended up choosing a team which lost in Week 16, and is now eliminated from playoff contention. Still, I see a lot of good things from this team. This young defense has grown and developed. Shout out to Kam Chancellor for a great sophomore season... him and Earl Thomas will be a good Safety tandem for years to come. Also, well deserved Skittles for Marshawn Lynch, who snapped the 49ers streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown this week. Seattle is a team to keep one's eye on in the off-season and next year. If they can get a serviceable Quarterback (Kyle Orton maybe?), they will surely compete next year.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (7-8, +1): The Eagles are finally playing good football... but its just too late. With the Giants triumphing over the Jets in Week 16, the Eagles were eliminated early into their matchup against Dallas. That didn't stop them from playing Dallas hard, although it was only their backups. I'll buy into the fact that the lockout hurt the Eagles more than other teams with all of their Free Agent acquisitions... it can be hard to build team synergy without significant practice. That still doesn't change my belief that Andy Reid needs to go, however.

16. Oakland Raiders (8-7, +2): Granted, they needed overtime to keep their playoff hopes alive vs Kansas City, but they were still able to defeat the same team that defeated Green Bay earlier. Michael Bush seems to have worn down later into the season, however. This team obviously is hurting by their loss of Darren McFadden this season. Also, the defensive secondary leaves a lot to be desired... defensively, they will struggle against Phillip Rivers and the Chargers offense. But to benefit from a Broncos loss against the Chiefs, they need to beat the Chargers.

17. New York Jets (8-7, -2): After their performance the last two weeks, I'm not sure at all if this team really deserves to be in the playoffs. A week after being decimated by the Eagles, they are demolished by the Giants. This is a team playing for their playoff lives, here. Now they face a hot Miami team, and they need help to make it in. It's not looking likely for the "other" New York team.

18. Carolina Panthers (6-9, +1): Carolina will be primed to take over as a new Playoff contender next season. Cam Newton has played great all season. If he can continue taking steps forward, he can look forward to another successful 2012 campaign. The rest of this team seems to be improving around him, too. In particular, both the running game and the defense has played significantly better towards the end of the year then they have at the beginning.

19. Tennessee Titans (8-7, +1): The Titans don't really belong in the playoffs either, but its now a possibility going up against a Texans team with nothing to play for in Week 17 (they have virtually clinched the #3 seed in the playoffs). They still need help, but it could happen. That doesn't change my belief that this team is nothing more than a .500 talent, however.

20. San Diego Chargers (7-8, -6): Everything on the line going into a harsh Detroit environment... this is what defines a team.. especially one fighting for their playoff lives. Well, the Chargers are weak. The only positive thing Chargers fans can take out of this is that this may be the catalyst that gets Norv Turner (and maybe the GM as well) fired. If that is the case, San Diego becomes the most prized coaching vacancy in the NFL since they already have a franchise Quarterback and a lot of talent in place.

21. Chicago Bears (7-8, +0):The Bears offense moved the ball pretty well against Green Bay, but that didn't matter when Josh McClown throws interceptions and your defense implodes, allowing Aaron Rodgers a career-high 5 touchdown passes. On a positive note, the Bears have to like what they saw from 3rd-year man Kahlil Bell (even it was against a defense that can't stop a nosebleed recently). He rushed for 121 yards on his 23 attempts, a YPC of 5.3. With Marion Barber aging, he could develop into the change-of-pace back for Matt Forte in 2012.

22. Miami Dolphins (5-10, +2): I'm not sure if Todd Bowles is the guy, but the players seem to be playing pretty hard for them. Of course, the Dolphins still fell to their normal 2nd-half collapses against the Patriots, blowing a 17-0 halftime lead. If it weren't for the injuries to Vontae Davis and Reggie Bush however, they could've seriously had a chance to upset the Patriots. Still, its probably better to lose than to win at this point... the Dolphins would have a much better chance at getting a franchise back with a 5-11 record. Then again, with Matt Barkley staying in USC, the chances a blue-collar prospect is still available when Miami picks is slim (unless they trade up?).

23. Arizona Cardinals (7-8, +0): It seemed the whole week Kevin Kolb would be able to go against the Bengals, but was ruled out before gametime. This obviously threw off the Cardinals' gameplan, who struggled early behind backup John Skelton. They were able to make a 4th quarter surge but ultimately fell short at keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. There's always next year... the NFC West may develop into a competitive NFL division after all.

24. Kansas City Chiefs (6-9, +1): The Chiefs continue to play hard for Romeo Crennel, especially the defense. While they ultimately lost to the Raiders in overtime, I like the leadership I see from the man. He could very well earn himself a chance to be "the man" next season... which in my opinion, he deserves. He may have failed in Cleveland, but so did Bill Bellichick... hmm...

25. Washington Redskins (5-10, -3): There's no excuse to lose at home to one of the league's worst franchises when they lost their starting Quarterback and Runningback. Rex Grossman didn't really play badly either, but their defense fell apart allowing 33 points to the Vikings. I have mixed feelings about Mike Shanahan, but I feel he deserves at least another year to prove himself. But I'm concerned about the Redskins defense "giving up" towards the end of this season.

26. Buffalo Bills (6-9, +1): We saw a glimpse of what made this Buffalo team so effective early in the season here. I still think this team's biggest off-season need is depth however. Another positive note for the Bills is that C.J. Spiller continue to plays well in place of Fred Jackson. It looks like that first round pick wasn't wasted after all. This kid reminds one of Chris Johnson and LeSean McCoy. He should be in for a larger role in 2012.

27. Minnesota Vikings (3-12, -1): Bravo, Minnesota for killing your hopes at the #1 overall pick with a win here. They'll probably pick 3rd overall now... which means the two best Quarterbacks could feasibly be off the board. Luckily, their need at Defensive secondary is a more pressing issue with first-round pick Christian Ponder still being on board. At least now they can address a true need... or trade the pick to a franchise who does need a signal-caller.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11, +1): Jacksonville can finish the season strong against the Colts. While the Colts have been playing better as of late, Maurice Jones-Drew should still cause problems for one of the league's worst run defenses. Ending the year on a positive note would really help Mel Tucker's chances at holding on to the head coaching gig next year. Unfortanutely, I hate everything I see from Blaine Gabbert. I wouldn't be surprised if Jacksonville targets another Quarterback early in next year's draft.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11, -1): Raheem Morris probably doesn't deserve to keep his job after witnessing the complete collapse of this team in 2011. Its hard in a lockout year and such a young team to find success, but dropping from 4-2 to 4-11 is unacceptable, as is the defense's inability to stop anything, Josh Freeman's obvious regression, and the playcalling that excludes their best offensive playmaker, LeGarrette Blount.

30. Cleveland Browns (4-11, +0): The Browns fought hard at Baltimore last week, but ultimate lost due to their offense, which has been incredibly lackluster this season. Colt McCoy's lack of progression under Pat Shurmur has been highly disappointing, as he was one of the most promising young Quarterbacks entering this season. I do not know if Shurmur will get another year or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if they give up on the Colt McCoy experiment and go after a Quarterback in the Draft.

31. Indianapolis Colts (2-13, +1): Honestly, I didn't think I would be moving the Colts up from #32 at all this season but with how solid they've been playing recently combined with how awful the Rams are, I must admit they aren't the worst team this year. They could finish the season with 3 wins if they win against Jacksonville... which would, of course, thrill Peyton Manning as it eliminates the Colts from the Suck for Luck sweepstakes.

32. St. Louis Rams (2-13, -1): St. Louis is so bad, I don't really even know where to begin. Okay, I'll start with Kellen Clemmens, who is, without a doubt, one of the worst Quarterbacks to play in the NFL. I'll also go into how their defense can't stop anybody, and how their receiving corp sucks. No doubt a lot of these problems are due to the huge amount of injuries they have sustained but I think it is also coaching. Steve Spagnuolo and Josh McDaniels is not the answer, they need to go. And if the Rams have a chance at pulling the trigger for Andrew Luck, they better take it. He'd be a huge improvement over Sam Bradford.

As you can see, a pretty good week for all last week. I got the best end of the deal with 12-4, but it only earned me a 1-game advantage over Billy and the Simulator. Billy still sits in the lead with a 3-game advantage over me. The Simulator is lurking, 3 games under me. This is the last week of games, so I want to earn some more ground here... as I prepare to overcome Billy for the playoffs!

Sanchez needs to rebound; his play was a cause for their 2-game slide.

New York J (8-7) @ Miami (5-10)TheKillerNacho: New York needs this victory, but Miami is playing hard right now and is fully embracing their role as spoiler. New York, on the other hand, has been anything but a playoff-quality team as of late, and will come in demoralized after two crushing defeats. Miami pulls off an upset in Week 17 here to eliminate the Jets.UPDATE: Reggie Bush has been ruled out for Sunday. The Jets struggled against speedy RB this season, so this is a pretty big blow for the home team. I'm still choosing Miami, but with a closer margin. Dan Thomas will get a chance to show why he was worth a 2nd round pick in this year's draft.
New York J 23, Miami 24

Billy:
New York J 16, Miami 37

American Football Simulator:
New York J 24, Miami 21

San Francisco (12-3) @ St. Louis (2-13)TheKillerNacho: The 49ers' last "challenge" before clinching a first-round bye is the lowly Rams. Even in St. Louis, I don't see the Rams scoring many points at all against the tough 49ers defense, whether Bradford plays or not. San Francisco earns a first-round bye here.
San Francisco 23, St. Louis 3

Billy:
San Francisco 21, St. Louis 13

American Football Simulator:
San Francisco 26, St. Louis 21

Carolina (6-9) @ New Orleans (12-3)TheKillerNacho: While the Saints know its unlikely to be able to get a first-round bye at this point, that won't stop them from trying. The Saints are great at home. While the Carolina Panthers under Cam Newton is certainly a threat, it is a threat I think the Saints can overcome.
Carolina 23, New Orleans 28

Billy:
Carolina 30, New Orleans 45

American Football Simulator:
Carolina 23, New Orleans 30

Tennessee (8-7) @ Houston (10-5)TheKillerNacho: The Texans are locked into the #3 seed, so I think they will play it easy here, and probably rest key starters like Arian Foster for the majority of the game. The Titans need this win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Its ironic since if they do make the playoffs, Houston will be their Wildcard round opponent.
Tennessee 24, Houston 17

Billy:
Tennessee 24, Houston 23

American Football Simulator:
Tennessee 24, Houston 25

Washington (5-11) @ Philadelphia (7-8)TheKillerNacho: The Eagles should avoid a losing record here at home against the Redskins. While I have no doubt the Redskins will come looking for the upset, the Eagles are also playing for respect... and the job of their coach, Andy Reid. It sickens me to say this, but with a win, Reid may see his job safe for another year.
Washington 20, Philadelphia 26

Billy:
Washington 15, Philadelphia 30

American Football Simulator:
Washington 21, Philadelphia 27

Kevin Smith has a great matchup against GB this week.

Detroit (10-5) @ Green Bay (14-1)TheKillerNacho: All reports coming from Green Bay say that Mike McCarthy plans to rest his starters for the majority of the game against the Lions in Week 17. This is a meaningless game for the Packers, and they are already hurt by injuries. This opens the door for the Lions to clinch the 5th seed of the NFC. The Lions will probably rely heavily on Kevin Smith, who faces a Green Bay defense inept vs the run in recent weeks (and he'll likely be playing the backups most of the game, too!). The Lions should be careful though... Matt Flynn is one of the more competent backup Quarterbacks in the league, and its never an easy win in Lambeau.
Detroit 27, Green Bay 24

Billy:
Detroit 27, Green Bay 17

American Football Simulator:
Detroit 19, Green Bay 24

Chicago (7-8) @ Minnesota (3-12)TheKillerNacho: With the Bears being eliminated in Week 16, this game is all about respect. I doubt Kahlil Bell will find the same kind of running room he did against Green Bay against Kevin Williams and the Vikings defense. Still, with Adrian Peterson on I.R., the Vikings offense should struggle against the Bears, too. This game is unpredictable by nature, but I think the Bears will come out wanting one more victory before the season's done. Expect a low-scoring affair.
Chicago 16, Minnesota 13

Billy:
Chicago 20, Minnesota 23

American Football Simulator:
Chicago 20, Minnesota 21

Indianapolis (2-13) @ Jacksonville (4-11)TheKillerNacho: I have a strong feeling I'll regret this pick later, but I'm going with the home team. Maurice Jones-Drew should be in for a monster game against the soft Colts defense. Then again, that is what I thought about Arian Foster and despite a good game the Colts were somehow able to defeat the Texans by abusing their rookie Quarterback. Jacksonville also has a rookie Quarterback, and a bad one at that. So... this could go either way.
Indianapolis 17, Jacksonville 19

Billy:
Indianapolis 9, Jacksonville 10

American Football Simulator:
Indianapolis 20, Jacksonville 26

Buffalo (6-9) @ New England (12-3)TheKillerNacho: The Bills won the first matchup and had a really good Week 16, but that doesn't make me think they will get a victory over Tom Brady at Gillette here. The Patriots have homefield advantage on the line, something they could lose to the Steelers / Ravens with a loss. Tom Brady won't let this happen.
Buffalo 21, New England 30

Billy:
Buffalo 20, New England 38

American Football Simulator:
Buffalo 20, New England 27

Seattle (7-8) @ Arizona (7-8)TheKillerNacho: It would be a big confidence boost for both teams to get back to .500 here. Both teams are out of it, so this game is all about respect and who will be #2 in the NFC West. I absolutely love how the Seahawks defense and Marshawn Lynch are playing recently, so I'm going to go with the Seahawks.
Seattle 23, Arizona 20

Billy:
Seattle 18, Arizona 25

American Football Simulator:
Seattle 23, Arizona 22

San Diego (7-8) @ Oakland (8-7)TheKillerNacho: Playoffs are on the line here at Oakland. For San Diego, Norv Turner's job is on the line. If he doesn't show the San Diego front office why he deserves to keep his job here, he'll probably be out of a job. I really like Phillip Rivers' matchup against the Oakland defense, so I'll go with San Diego... but it won't be easy.
San Diego 27, Oakland 26

Billy:
San Diego 17, Oakland 24

American Football Simulator:
San Diego 25, Oakland 24

The season ends as it started for the Broncos... Tebow vs Orton.

Kansas City (6-9) @ Denver (8-7)TheKillerNacho: Tim Tebow is trying to rebound and win the division after a disappointing collapse against the Bills. Romeo Crennell has the Chiefs playing hard for him, and is trying to prove he deserves another shot at Head coach. I think at Mile High, Tebow will be able to bounce back and secure Denver's playoff spot. We'll see, however, as Kansas City's defense has played very well in two straight weeks. Also it will be interesting to see Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow duel.
Kansas City 19, Denver 22

Billy:
Kansas City 16, Denver 17

American Football Simulator:
Kansas City 20, Denver 22

Tampa Bay (4-11) @ Atlanta (9-6)TheKillerNacho: While I would obviously take Atlanta easily any normal day, Atlanta may have nothing to play for here. This is a 4:15 game, and they will find out the result of the Detroit @ Green Bay game likely before this one starts. If Detroit wins, Atlanta will be locked into the #6 seed and may rest starters. Then again, they may not, wanting to go hot into the playoffs. Either way, Tampa Bay is horrible so even the Falcons backups could probably beat them. So yeah, I'll pick Atlanta. If the Falcons starters play, I foresee a large workload for Michael Turner. The only chance the Bucs have is running LeGarrette Blount, as the Falcons have struggled against the run and Blount is the only talented Runningback the Bucs have on their roster. Of course, the Bucs coaching staff doesn't seem to know that...UPDATE: Mike Smith has gone on record saying the Falcons would NOT bench their starters this week, whether being eliminated from #5 seed contention or not. Due to this, I believe this is a sure-fire Atlanta victory now. Michael Turner will tear this Tampa Bay team up.
Tampa Bay 20, Atlanta 31

Billy:
Tampa Bay 10, Atlanta 35

American Football Simulator:
Tampa Bay 22, Atlanta 28

Baltimore (11-4) @ Cincinnati (9-6)TheKillerNacho: This is probably the most interesting individual game aside from the "NFC East Championship" game when it comes to playoff relevance. Cincinnati needs a win to secure their spot in the playoffs. Baltimore needs a win to clinch the AFC North (And they surely can't count on the Browns beating the Steelers). Baltimore struggles on the road and Cincinnati's defense will focus on stopping Ray Rice, forcing Joe Flacco to beat them (without Anquan Boldin). I'll take the Bengals, but this will be close and hard-fought.
Baltimore 23, Cincinnati 24

Billy:
Baltimore 14, Cincinnati 28

American Football Simulator:
Baltimore 26, Cincinnati 20

Pittsburgh (11-4) @ Cleveland (4-11)TheKillerNacho: Another easy matchup for the Pittsburgh defense, and another game Roethlisberger could potentially rest without much consequence. Pittsburgh needs a win here and a Baltimore loss to win the AFC North (and therefore a first-round bye), I think there is a good chance of that.
Pittsburgh 24, Cleveland 14

Billy:
Pittsburgh 19, Cleveland 10

American Football Simulator:
Pittsburgh 21, Cleveland 19

Victor Cruz has been the big-play WR the Giants needed.

Dallas (8-7) @ New York G (8-7)TheKillerNacho: Last year we got the NFC West "Championship Bowl" on Sunday night football, this year we get the NFC East's. This is not an easy game to predict, but I like how the Giants match up against Dallas. Dallas will struggle running with a banged-up Felix Jones, and Dallas' defense has not played well recently, I think Eli Manning could be in for another big game.
Dallas 25, New York G 27

Billy:
Dallas 33, New York G 31

American Football Simulator:
Dallas 21, New York G 26

Question of the Week

Last week, I asked my readers Which division in the NFL will be the toughest in 2012? between the NFC South, NFC North, AFC North,AFC East, or Other (please comment). Most readers seemed to agree with me, as the NFC South won the poll with 75% of the vote. The AFC North won the other 25%. Both of these were good choices, but I'm kind of surprised that not a single person voted with the NFC North.

This poll will be somewhat interesting... Which teams will be in the playoffs this year?. Included in the poll are all the teams currently not clinched a playoff birth: New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans. You can select multiple answers, check all that apply but I do ask that you only select realistic possibilities (don't check every team; for example, both the Giants and the Cowboys can't make it in... only 3 of these 7 teams will make it in). My answers, derived from my Week 17 predictions are: The New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Cincinnati Bengals. Will be interesting to see this poll at the end.